Arrhythmias are very common, especially as you get older. If you have ever felt a flutter in your chest or thought that your heart “skipped a beat,” these could be signs of an arrhythmia. Fortunately, most arrhythmias are completely harmless. However, sometimes arrhythmias can be very dangerous and require treatment. If you experience any of the following symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible to rule out possible problems such as heart disease or other complications.
Arrhythmia Symptoms
There are different symptoms that vary in severity and can occur as a result of having an arrhythmia. Minor symptoms include:
- Heart palpitation: A single premature beat that is felt as a “skipped beat.”
- Heart fluttering: If premature beats occur often or in rapid succession, this could create a fluttering sensation in the chest or neck.
If arrhythmia symptoms last long enough, they will start to affect the way your heart works, which could lead to more serious symptoms, such as:
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Fatigue
- Rapid or pounding heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Fainting or near-fainting spells
- Chest pain
- Cardiac arrest could occur in extreme cases
When to See Your Doctor
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is never a bad idea to let you doctor check out your condition. When preparing for your appointment, it can be helpful to monitor and record your heart rate beforehand to help your doctor make a more accurate diagnosis. You do this by placing the second and third fingers of one hand on the inside of your wrist or on the side of your neck just below the corner of your jaw. Count the number of beats produced by your pulse for one full minute. Record the information along with the day and time taken and detail any symptoms you were feeling at the time.
This information can help your doctor determine what type of arrhythmia you have developed, which will be beneficial for determining your treatment plan. If your heart is beating too fast, this is referred to as tachycardia, which refers to a resting heart rate of over 100 beats per minute. But if your heartbeat is too slow, this is called bradycardia, which is a resting heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute. The treatment plans for each type of arrhythmia vary greatly, and further testing may be necessary to determine the specific location of the arrhythmia as well.
Aside from diagnostic testing, your doctor may also ask you some questions about your condition such as:
- How severe are your symptoms?
- How long have you been experiencing these symptoms?
- Are your symptoms continuous or do they come and go?
- Do you have a family history of arrhythmia?
- Does anything seem to help improve any of your symptoms?
- Doe anything seem to worsen your symptoms at all?
If your doctor suspects an underlying heart condition to be the cause of your arrhythmia, he or she may refer you to a cardiologist, which is a doctor who specializes in the care of the heart.
